JC Weems, president of the hockey club and captain of the Div. III team, puts everything he has into improving the program.

Weems does not take his role as president lightly as he works to keep improving the program.

“I work hard for the boys and girls on the team,” Weems said. “I just want everyone to have the best opportunity to have the best program to play for and improve it to things I didn’t have freshman year. I want to leave it a better place than it was, even though it was already a great place.”

Weems had hoped to make contributions as a member of the Div. II team this year, but has done his best to lead the Div. III team.

“I knew regardless of wearing the ‘C’ I was going to be one of the leaders for the guys and be one of the guys, that if they need anything they can contact me and I’ll happily help them,” Weems said. “It is nice to kind of be with the younger guys because they are going through a big transition, not only a hockey transition, but a life transition.

“It is nice to be there for the guys, and I would like to think that they all think of me as a good leader and that they know they can come to me with anything. I just try to be the best for them.”

While Weems is playing on the Div. III level, what he’s done has impressed people throughout the whole program, especially Div. II head coach Chuck Rinaldo.

“JC is one of the best character players in our program [in] both Div. II and Div. III,” Rinaldo said. “Without him involved in our organization, both on and off the ice, we would not see the success that we see. He is one of those guys that if I could clone and make a dozen more of him just like him, I would absolutely do it.”

As impressive as Weems has been off the ice in his role as president and in his leadership role as captain of the Div. III team, he has been just as impressive on the ice. He leads the Div. III team with 25 points.

Weems got the opportunity to play at the Div. II level for one game this season, and he produced. In the 8-4 victory versus California State University-Fullerton on Nov. 7, he recorded two goals and an assist.

“It is a good feeling knowing that you are able to contribute at the Div. II level,” Weems said. “I think the coaches recognize that as well. I look forward to getting another shot and hopefully doing it all over again.”

While Weems is only a junior and has a year left with the hockey program, he already has an idea of where he wants his hockey career to go. He would love to try his hand as a coach or even as a referee in the NHL.

“The thing with hockey is everyone says it’s living the dream trying to make it to the NHL,” Weems said. “I have had that dream since I was little. Obviously I am not really good enough to make it, but all you can do is change the dream a little bit and try and find a different avenue to go there…. All I can do is work hard and hope I get the right bounces….”